Hardware fixture



Ucfi. 27, 1931. A. EKMAN HARDWARE FIXTURE Filed March 27, 1929 INVENTOR. Ezirew fir/26222.,

A TTORNEY-S' Patented Oct. 27, 1931 ATENT @FFEQE ANDREW EKMAN, 0F GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAIT, ASSIGNOR T0 GRAND RAPIDS BRASS COMPANY, OF GRAND RAPIDS, IIIICHIGAN, A CGRPORATIOH G1 IEICHIGAN HARDVTARE FIXTURE Application filed. March 27, 1929.

This invention relates to a pressed sheet inlgtal hardware fixture for furniture and the The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved plate used in combination with furniture hardware of the pressed sheet metal type for protecting the finished surface of the article to which the hardware is attached; to provide a protector plate particularly adapted for use with sheet metal hardware which will prevent the inturned marginal edge of said hardware from biting into the finish on the article to which the fixture is attached; and, to provide a device of low cost and economical manufacture which has the appearance and will give the service of a much higher priced cast article.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of my improved device in the formof a hinge attached to a door and door casing of a piece of furniture such as an ice box, the hinge being shown in section as taken on the line ll of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of my invention as embodied in a hinge of pressed sheet metal construction.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary thin sectional detail view showing one of the shoulders swaged out on the margin of the base member and an upwardly struck tongue of the protector plate which engages said shoulder.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2.

In this day of keen competition and standardized mass production in the manufacture of competitive articles of commerce, economies effected in the manufacture of a product become of prime importance, and such economies in small items may mean the success or failure of a manufacturing plant.

Heretofore many articles which were made of cast metal, and which many people believed must be of cast metal if placed upon a highgrade product, are now made of pressed sheet metal which can be stamped out rapidly in production. Flat pieces of sheet metal Serial No. 350,158.

not only appear weal; to the eye of the general observer but, as is well known, strength and rigidity is very materially increased by pressing beads and ribs into the metal.

Furthermore, a thick heavy rugged appearance is highly desirable from a sales standpoint and to accomplish such effect the marginal edges of the piece of hardware are turned inwardly at substantially right angles to the plane of the article to form a flange which holds the body of the pico in spaced relation to the article to which it is attached. This inturned edge or marginal flange bites or cuts into the finished surface of the article to which the hardware is attached and mars its appearance, especially where the article is enameled.

In order to overcome this objectionable fea ture, l have provided a protector plate which fits between the hardware and the article to which it is attached so that the inturned edge or flange will rest upon the marginal edge of this protector plate. The protector plate is of the same general contour as the hardware with which it is used in combination, but is slightly larger so that its marginal edge will protrude slightly beyond the outer edges of the piece of hardware. The plate thus provides a flat base which effectively prevents the marginal flange of the hardware from marring the finished surface of the furniture or other article to which the hardware is attached.

In the construction shown in the drawings, my invention is shown in connection with a hinge which has a base member 1 of pressed sheet metal which has its marginal edge 2 turned inwardly at approximately right angles to the plane of the member 1 to form a flange. T he flange 2 holds the main body part of the member 1 in spaced relation to the surface upon which it is mounted, thus giving the appearance of thickness and ruggedness to the device. In this particular instance, the flange :2 at three different points is swaged inwardly to form shoulders 3, one at each side and one at the rear end of the member.

A protector plate 4 of relatively thinner sheet metal and of the same general contour as the plan of the member 1 is provided for C It interposing between the member 1 and the article to which it is attached. The protector plate t is'of slightly greater size than the overall dimensions of the member 1 so that the extreme marginal edge 5 of the protector plate extends slightly beyond the inturned flange 2 of. member 1 around those parts which normally are secured in contact with V the article of furniture upon which the hardware is mounted. When the protector plate is in position under the member 1, the inturned marginal edge 2 rests thereupon and is prevented from biting into the enamel surface 6 of the article 7 to which thehinge nenr. ber is secured by means of the screws 8.

Means are-provided for detachably securing the protector plate 4: to the member 1 independently of the screws 8 and comprise strikingup portions of the-platen to form resilient tongues 9 which are adapted to detaehably engage the shoulders 3.

V marring the finish'of the article upon which In the operation'and use of this device, the protector plate l s assembled on the base of the member 1 by snapping the resilient tongues 9 into engagement behind the shoulthe hardware is mounted.

It will be seen from Figure 1, that the protector plate 4 bears or engages at one end the pint-1e pm of the hinge.

Although but .one specific embodiment of this invention has been herein shown and de-' scribed, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the lowing claims.

I claim: v

.1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a sheet metal base member 7 adapted to be secured to a finished surface,

the marginal edgeof said base member beingi turned inwardly to the plane thereof, a plurality of shoulders formed on the inner side of said marginal edge, and a protector plate between said surface and the base member, themarginal edge of said base member resting on the marginal edge of said plate, portions of saidv plate being struck upto form tongues for detachably engaging said shoulders on the marginal edge of said base member. I

'2. Incombination: a hinge having sheetmetal-leaves connected by a pintle pin, one

of the leaves being adapted to be mounted on a finished surface and having'a flange provided with shoulders formed on its inner side; and a protector plate between said surface and said leaf,othe flange of said leaf resting on said plate adjacent itsmarginal edge,

portions of said plate being struck up to form tongues engaging said shoulders, and

the edge portion of said plate remote from the tongues engaging said pintle pin.

3. In a device of the classdescribed, the combination of a metal base member adapted to be secured to a finished' surface, the

marginal edge of said base member extending inwardly toward said surface and having a'plurality of shoulders on its inner side, and a protector plate between said base member, and said surface, the marginal edge of said base member restingon said plate, said plate having tongues engaging said shoulders to hold said base member and said plate together."

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at Grand Rapids, Michigan, this twelfth day of March, 1929. v

v r ANDREI/V 

